How to Handle Sexual Harassment When Traveling Abroad

If you are a woman traveling alone or with a small group of other women, there may be times when you feel threatened or annoyed by persistent male interest.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Fake Wedding Ring
• Money Belts
• Scarves
• Family Photos
• Foreign Language Phrase Books
• Local Guidebooks
• Whistles

1. Do your research ahead of time to know what to expect as a foreign woman traveling in the country you will be visiting. Your research should include appropriate clothing for women, culturally appropriate behavior between men and women, and places women may be restricted from entering.
2. Study interactions between local men and women for appropriate nonverbal ways for interacting: Do men and women who are strangers make eye contact when speaking? Are outsiders treated differently than friends or acquaintances? How far apart do women and men sit or stand from one another when conversing?
3. Watch how local women avoid advances from men and follow their cues. If shooing a man away or turning abruptly away appears to shame and dissuade a pursuer, be prepared to use these gestures yourself.
4. Be assertive when saying, "No," to unwanted advances, making certain that everything in gesture and demeanor indicates "No": speak loudly so that others will hear you; turn away or cross your arms firmly in front of you; be prepared to leave the venue or join others for protection.
5. Look to nearby women for help, especially older women who may feel protective of you. A specific appeal to a woman, such as a shopkeeper, will likely be more effective at shooing away unwanted solicitors than a general appeal to a crowd of women.
6. Familiarize yourself with how to find local police, proprietors of stores or conductors on trains, and appeal to such authority figures for help if harassment is persistent.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider taking a self-defense course before departing on a trip if you plan to be traveling alone and in an unfamiliar area.
• Check guidebooks for advice on clothing that is considered appropriate for women in the region you intend to visit. It's a good idea to pack at least one modest and conservative outfit in case you find yourself in a situation where you don't want to draw attention to yourself.
• Consider wearing a wedding band and carrying a picture of your "husband," "boyfriend" or "children" to further dissuade advances.